No More
by LongTimeFan
Summary: "O'Neill," Teal'c said "It will not help SamanthaCarter to speak to GeneralO'Neill tonight," he said quietly. "ColonelCarter may wish to speak to him tomorrow."
1. Chapter 1

I have read many fabulous stories where Sam goes to Area 51 at the same time or immediately after Jack goes to DC. What if Sam's transfer actually happened prior to his transfer and was precipitated by a totally none related event? Here is one such event that could explain such a scenario. Warning, not a happy story, but J/S all the way. Oh yeah, probably need to be marked AU as Janet is alive in my SG world and are a few curse words as we are dealing with Jack here. Set after end of season 8, but before start of season 9.

Thank you to everyone kind enough to provide me feedback on my last piece. For those of you asking for the third scenario to continue, I am playing with it but this one needed to come out first. So, keep your fingers crossed!

Disclaimers: The following is a work of fan fiction based on the television series Stargate SG-1. It is in no way intended to infringe on the copyrights of Showtime/Viacom, MGM/US, Double Secret Productions, Gekko Productions or anyone else who may have legal rights to the characters and settings. I claim no ownership of the characters. Only using them for a short time and will return them in relatively the same shape as when borrowed.

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><p>"SG Command to SG-One-Niner, WHAT IS YOUR STATUS?!" General Jack O'Neill snapped into the radio in his hand, his eyes never leaving the blue shimmer of the open wormhole in front of him. Around him, medical personnel valiantly attempted to stabilize patients while defense teams tried to maintain lines of fire that would not put the base personnel in jeopardy of friendly fire.<p>

Anxious eyes flickered between the General and the event horizon. Everyone knew there would be a time soon when he would have no choice but to shut down the connection or raise the iris. Either one could spell death to the one military person left on the planet.

"She was right behind you?" he tossed over his shoulder at the remaining members of the base's flagship team.

"She said she would be right through. Jack, let Teal'c and me go back," Doctor Daniel Jackson urged, gripping the arm of his friend to emphasize his point. "Something must of happened. Let us get her."

Shaking off the impeding hand, Jack raised the radio again. "SG Command to SG-one-niner. Carter, report!" he urged, unconsciously taking several steps closer to the ramp. With each passing minute, the dread in O'Neill's soul grew. No matter how much he wanted to grant Jackson's request, he couldn't justify sending anyone into the civil war waging on the other side without some indication that his second in command was still alive.

"Coming up on eight minutes, sir," a voice called out from the control room above him.

Wincing, O'Neill silently thanked whatever power that be that no enemy fire had come through the wormhole due to it being left open. As it was, he was going to have answer some serious questions about why he had not followed procedure and shut it down long before now. "CARTER!" O'Neill yelled into the radio again, trying unsuccessfully to keep his building desperation from showing.

An energy bolt lancing through the air and striking the back wall forced all personnel to drop to the floor. Simultaneously, "we're taking fire" was broadcasted through the room as protocol dictated. "Sonofabitch," Jack snarled, shuffling behind a shield while trying to assess if anyone had been injured.

"Carter, dig in until you can contact us," Jack ordered keying the radio. "Walter, shut it..." Jack was stopped by the sight of his second darting through the wormhole, hunched over, her arms wrapped in front of her upper body. She had barely cleared the horizon before she fell to her knees, and two more rounds of weapon fire followed her through.

"SHUT IT DOWN," Jack roared as the energy bursts bounced off the walls. Ignoring the potential of being hit, he yelled "DOC!" as his feet hit the ramp and the wormhole disengaged.

"Carter," he called dropping beside her. Blood smears on her arms, hands and shoulder told him she was injured somewhere. Unsure of where he could touch without causing pain, he wrapped one arm around her back to steady her incase she fell.

"Sam," the base chief medical officer Janet Fraiser called, kneeling in front of the injured solder. "Let me see," she urged trying to peer under her chin and pulling gently on her arms in an attempt to move them.

"Janet," Sam whispered, her head rising. "I can't get him to breath," she added, thrusting a tiny bloody infant into the doctor's hands.

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><p>Signing the report he just finished, Jack blew out a loud breath trying to quell the frustration and worry eating at him. It had been a hellavu day that was for sure. A routine exploration and archeological dig had blown into a full scale civil war, trapping base personnel in the middle of it. Four injured in the initial attack and SG1 and 3 had gone in to retrieve them. More injuries during the rescue. So far no SG personnel had died, but there were severe physical injuries to several of them.<p>

Shuddering, Jack mentally thanked the heavens that Carter had not been one of the personnel seriously injured. It seemed that most of the blood had not been hers. She had a few cuts, bruises and scrapes, but nothing serious. He had been notified she had been released and that Daniel and Teal'c were taking her home as he had postponed the debrief until more of the personnel were able to attend it.

Then they would have to deal with the psychological toll of the mission. That was going to take longer than the physical damage to heal.

Feeling the vibration of his cell phone, he snagged it from his pocket and pressed the send.

"Sam didn't want to go home, so we brought her to your house," Daniel informed him, not waiting for Jack to say anything.

"How is she?" O'Neill asked quietly.

"She's...," Daniel broke off, looking for the right word. After a few moments of silence, he continued. "Broken."

Drawing in a sharp hiss, Jack closed his eyes. Swallowing the lump in his throat, he forced air into his lungs. "SG17 is scheduled to be back by eighteen hundred. I'll be there as soon as I can after that," he added.

Hanging up, Jack looked at this watch to confirm how much time he had before he could leave. Picking up the telephone, he called Walter. "Unless SG17 comes back hot, I'm going to push back their debrief until tomorrow afternoon. What else is there?"

Working through the few obstacles in his schedule, Jack hung up the phone and looked at his watch again. Grimacing he grabbed the paper work waiting for him to kill the hour that remained.

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><p>Closing the door to his house, Jack listened for some indication of where the current occupants were. Hearing the sounds of dishes rattling in the kitchen he headed there. Finding only Daniel in the dimly lit room, he greeting him while shrugging off his coat. "Hey," he said quietly dropping the coat on the back of a barstool. "Where's Carter?"<p>

Nodding toward his sunken sitting room, Daniel pulled another cup out of the cabinet and poured coffee in it. "Finally got her to agree to drink something," Daniel explained, his voice low.

"She tell you what happened?" Seeing a negative indication, Jack added, "Say anything else?"

Sighing, Daniel looked down at his hand on the counter. "Only that she can't do it anymore." When silence met his statement, he looked up and saw his own sorrow and pain mirrored on Jack's face.

Catching the younger man's eyes, O'Neill let out the breath he had been holding and nodded to him. Picking up the two coffee cups before him, he turned and headed toward the sitting room.

Stepping into the darkened space, Jack paused to allow his eyes to adjust to the minimal lighting given off from the kitchen and from the moonlight shining in from the outside. After a few seconds, he saw Teal'c rise from one of the chairs and approach him.

"O'Neill," Teal'c said acknowledging the silent greeting he received before pausing beside him. Grabbing the younger man's arm, he stopped his friend from advancing. "It will not help SamanthaCarter to speak to GeneralO'Neill tonight," he said quietly so his voice would not carry to anyone else. "ColonelCarter may wish to speak to him tomorrow."

Clenching his jaw, Jack knew the big man was right. Sam didn't need a superior officer right now. Looking toward Teal'c, he gave him a barely perceptible nod before moving farther into the room.

Sitting down on the small couch next to Carter, O'Neill held out a cup toward her. "Hey," he said softly to draw her attention. "Daniel said you wanted this."

Taking it reluctantly, Sam gave him a half shrug. "Not really," she breathed, setting it down on the table in front of her.

Watching her as she eased backward, he watched as she again drew back inside herself. Giving her a few minutes, he sipped the coffee before setting it down next to hers. "You okay?" he asked gently, after it appeared she was not going to be the one to start any conversation.

A hitched breath followed his words before a faint "Not really," pierced the darkness as she leaned forward to rest her arms on her legs.

Resting a hand on her back, Jack could feel the tremors of repressed tears pass through her body. Rubbing his thumb back and forth to comfort her, he waited. It took several minutes before she continued.

"It was suppose to get easier now," Sam began, her words low and harsh. "We beat the Gou'ld and the Replicators. Hell, we even took out an ascended Ancient. It wasn't suppose to be like this anymore."

"Like this?" Jack questioned, more to keep her talking than needing any clarification.

"Fighting, war, death. Innocents," she stopped, her voice choking on the word.

Jack felt her shudder several times and draw a deep shaky breath before she could continue.

"I was heading to the gate. Colonel Reynolds had already been hit, so I ordered everyone through. It was chaos, bombs exploding, gunfire, buildings imploding, people screaming and crying. Dead bodies were laying everywhere," she reported, her voice low and harsh. "I was almost there when I heard it. In the middle of this chaos, I heard a baby crying." She shook her head slowly, still not quite believing what she had experienced. "I finally figured out it was coming from the rubble of the building I was passing. I couldn't believe that anyone could still be alive in there but there was that sound," Sam paused, her breath labored. "I knew I had to get back but I couldn't leave that baby there," she croaked out in desperation.

Nodding, Jack moved his hand up to her shoulder and squeezed it slightly to let her know he understood before continuing his earlier circular repetition.

"I just started throwing bricks and chunks of wood away from where I thought he was. I heard you calling but I couldn't chance taking the time to respond to you," Sam confessed, throwing a glance back at him. Looking back at her hands, she added, "His cries were getting weaker."

Silence descended for a few minutes, before Sam continued. "When I found them, she begged me to take him, keep him safe. His mom," she clarified sadly. "He wasn't crying anymore but she begged me. She grabbed my arms and made me promise. Said his name was Bree'dan and that I had to save him."

"Gawd," Sam hissed as sobs began to escape her, rubbing her hands over her face before covering it and fighting for control. After a few minutes, she moved her hands far enough away so she could be understood. "When I was a little girl, I would play house and I always pretended I was a mom and that I had a little boy named Braydan," her voice choked, thick with tears.

"Sam," Jack breathed in anguish, her pain overwhelming him at the obvious similarities of the two names.

"And then he wasn't breathing," Sam sobbed. "I tried, Jack, God, I tried."

Pulling her towards him, Jack wrapped her against his chest. "I know," he whispered, rubbing her back as she wept against him. "I know."

Jack wasn't sure how long they stayed like that. At some point, he knew Teal'c and Daniel had stepped into the room to see if they could do anything. Seeing there was not beside grabbing some paper towels from the kitchen for Sam to use later, they quietly slipped back out. As the sounds of Sam's muffled crying began to diminish, Jack began to ease his grip, but not enough that she would feel like she had to move away from him.

Waiting until her breathing had settled some, Jack nudged her face upwards so that he could wipe her tears and give her a towel to blow her nose. Fatigue and sorrow was evident in her features. "What do you need, Sam?" he asked gently, his fingers lingering on her skin.

"I'm tired," she whispered, leaning into his hand. "I can't do it anymore. I can't go out there again. Not now anyway," she added, her eyes slipping closed in defeat.

"Okay," Jack acknowledged softly, nudging her to lay her head on his shoulder. "Not until you're ready."

After a few minutes, her rough voice broke the quiet. "They won't let me resign will they?"

Jack laid his head against hers and ran his hand slowly up and down her back, trying to find some way to ease the pain his words would bring. "Probably not, at least not totally out of the program." Sighing, he pressed his lips to her hair before continuing. "Maybe a transfer to area 51 or another research facility for awhile, but even then, I don't know for how long before they pull you back."

He felt a shudder run through her as she buried her face in his neck to hide from the meaning of his words. "I'm sorry," he whispered in her ear. "What do you want me to do? Just tell me and I'll do everything I can to make it happen for you."

Feeling the wetness of tears on his neck and soaking his shirt, he had to strain to hear her muffled words.

"Hold me."

end pt 1


	2. Chapter 2

AN: Thank you so much for all the kind words, follows and favorites for this story. It is truly humbling. I hope you continue to stick with me through it. This one is a little shorter, and unfortunately, things are still dark. Poor Sam!

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><p>Feeling the tremors stop coursing through Sam, Jack realized she was resting heavily on his body. Raising his head, he looked down at her shadowed features. "You're exhausted," he murmured to her, squeezing her slightly. "You need to sleep. Want me to take you home?"<p>

"No," Sam whispered, her head slowly moving side to side. "Can I..." she started to ask, only to stop before the words came out.

"Come on," Jack said, guessing what she was going to ask. "You can have my bed," he offered, urging her to stand. Untangling from her, he eased himself up, silently stretching the muscles complaining from being in the same place for too long. Turning, he followed her, guiding her forward with both hands on her shoulders.

Passing the kitchen, Jack realized that neither Daniel or Teal'c were there. As they neared his room, he heard the sound of the television on low. Entering the room, Jack caught their eyes as he removed one hand and dropped the other to Sam's back.

"Sam?" Daniel called, rising to greet the pale woman. "You okay?" he asked walking closer. Darting a look from Sam to Jack and reading the message that she wasn't 'okay' in Jack's eyes, he felt the butterflies in his stomach continue.

Forcing a small shaky smile, Sam reached to accept the hug he offered. "Just need a little time," she whispered, pulling him close. Letting him go, she moved to wrap herself around Teal'c as well.

"You will be fine, SamanthaCarter," the Jaffa said softly, resting his head against hers as to will her his strength and conviction in her.

As Sam was being comforted by the others, Jack pulled clothes from his dresser drawer. Handing them to her, he nodded toward the other part of the house. "We'll be out there," he told her. "There's a spare toothbrush in the right hand drawer, towels on the shelf," he added, scanning her features.

"Thank you," she whispered, feeling tears threatening again. Seeing the tenderness in his eyes, she knew he was aware her words were for far more than the articles she had just been handed. Drawing in a shaky breath, her eyes darted toward the others. "Can you," she began softly only to be interrupted.

"I'll take care of it," he assured her. Stepping closer, he brushed his lips on her temple before following Teal'c and Daniel from the room.

Entering into the kitchen area, Jack pulled a bottle of whiskey and several glasses from the cupboard. Nodding his head toward the door, he lead the pair back to the sitting room he had just spent the last several hours.

Turning on a lamp, he poured a shot of whiskey and tossed it back, feeling the burn as it passed each inch of his throat. Pouring another drink, he stepped toward the windows on the other side of the room. "Help yourself," he murmured, gesturing back toward the whiskey as he stopped to look outside.

"Jack?" Daniel asked, easing into a chair and sharing a concerned look with Teal'c. "What did Sam say?"

Taking a deep breath, Jack frowned into his glass. "She wants to resign. She's done," he said.

"What?" Daniel breathed in shock. "Why?"

"She's tired of it all. The whole intergalactic domination, gotta-save-the-planet, kill or be killed crap every time you go though the gate," Jack sighed, dark finality tinting his tone as he slumped into the chair beside him. "Hell, so am I," he added quietly, sipping the drink in his hand.

"What occurred on the planet O'Neill?" Teal'c asked, trying to comprehend what would lead Sam to this point.

Leaning his head back, Jack relayed what Sam had told him. Finishing he got up and refilled his glass. Silence descended until he sat back down.

"I cannot see them allowing ColonelCarter to resign and leave the SGC," Teal'c stated flatly locking eyes with O'Neill.

Daniel realized the accuracy of Teal'c assessment by the silent toast given by Jack with his glass. "So what? They make her stay? Keep going through the gate until she gets killed or is so messed up they can't 'fix' her?" he retorted, anger lacing his words at the thought that his friend could be only seen as a tool to be used as others saw fit.

"Not if I can help it," Jack barked back at him sharply, catching himself from getting caught up in the anger at the military. "I'm going to talk to Hammond, see if I can get her transferred to Area 51. She'll still be involved but won't have to go off world," he explained.

"And if you are unsuccessful?" Teal'c pushed.

Blowing out a breath, Jack turned away from the question. "I'll find a way," he murmured, knowing that there had to be something they wanted he could use as a bargaining chip.

"What does that mean Jack?" Daniel pressed, seeing the sad resignation on the older man's face.

"It means I'll find a way," O'Neill snapped back. Seeing that Jackson was going to push for details, he intercepted any further comments. "Drop it Daniel," he snarled, anger flashing in his eyes.

Sitting back, Daniel stared hard at him. "You're going to sacrifice yourself," the archeologist declared. "Whatever you have to do to save Sam, whatever piece of your soul they ask for, you're going to hand it to them, without question."

"Samantha would not want that O'Neill," Teal'c stated, knowing Daniel was correct by Jack's controlled features.

"Yeah, well," Jack breathed, "What she doesn't know won't hurt her." Catching one man's eyes and then the other, he added, "And she won't know. Got it?"

"Jack," Daniel breathed, shaking his head in apprehension at the thought that to save one friend, another would have to sacrifice himself. "Don't," he paused, weighing his words, "don't do anything unnecessarily," he cautioned. "Don't do anything that will cost you both far more than could ever be gained by the trade," he added hoping Jack would know what he meant.

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><p>Getting up, Jack picked up the bottle and glasses. "It's late. I'll let you know how Sam is tomorrow," he said walking out of the room.<p>

Staring at the empty coffee cup in his hand, O'Neill sighed and ran a hand over his face. Holding out the cell phone to make sure he had not dropped the call, he thought about the woman asleep in his bed. He had sat up most of the night watching her and not getting rest himself. After dozing two hours, he had given up any thoughts of getting more sleep by oh-five-hundred. Slipping from the bedroom, he dialed the number of his former commander long before the sun had broken the Colorado skyline.

Jack had briefed General George Hammond of the events of the past day as well as Sam's emotional state. After listening, Hammond had put him on hold while he conferred with other high-ranking officials. That had been almost thirty minutes ago.

Growling with frustration, Jack lurched off the bar stool and was pouring more coffee into his cup, when he heard, "Jack, you still there?"

"Yes, sir, I'm here," he answered, tensing.

"I wish I had better news," Hammond reported. "The general consensus is that Lieutenant Colonel Carter is much too valuable in her current position."

"Sonofabitch," Jack muttered, anger flaring. Forcing himself to bite back the other things threatening to tumble from his lips, he drew several shallow breaths before speaking. "I won't authorize her to go through the gate in her current state," O'Neill snapped. "I won't let her end up..."

"What? End up what, Jack?" George prodded, his tone gentle yet telling.

Drawing a hissed breath, Jack closed his eyes. "She'll end up like I was eight years ago," he stated solemnly, his anger draining from him and desperation seeping through the cracks in his voice. "She'll begin to hate everything about it and look for some way out, even it that means the first bullet she can find to walk in front of."

"I won't let her do that," Jack added, breaking the silence that had descended between them at the outburst. "There has to be something," he pressed. Hearing a resigned sigh on the other end, Jack pressed. "What?"

"Hypothetically, and I am not saying this is will work," Hammond cautioned, "but one of the main reasons that everyone is hell-bent on her staying is the fact that you want to retire. The Joint Chiefs believe it will be too big of a gap if both you and Sam leave at the same time. Too much loss of leadership; too much experience handling other alien races will be lost all at once."

"So if I withdraw my papers, it's possible Carter could be transferred?"

"Possible," Hammond conceded. "But Jack, as I said there is no guarantee it will work. There could be something else in the works here, something I don't know about. Or they could use this as a way to manipulate you to staying longer and call her right back in once you sign."

Rubbing a hand over his face, Jack grimaced. "How long?"

"I have no idea right now," George replied. "Look," he added, his tone dropping lower, "I know your relationship with Sam is complicated, and trust me when I tell you that I want nothing more than for you both to get what you want and deserve. If it was up to only me, you would have it all. But it's not. The only thing I can say right now is that you've both held on this long. Give it a little while more. Nothing can happen between you as long as you are at the SGC any way. There will be too many questions."

"And Sam can't leave unless I'm here," Jack reiterated, bitterness in his tone.

"I'm sorry, Jack," George said softly.

"Yes, sir," Jack replied automatically, disconnecting the call. Looking down at the phone in his hand, he heaved it into the wall in frustration.

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><p>AN2: Oops, did I say poor Sam? Now I think Jack's taking a hit here too. Hope you are still enjoying it.<p> 


	3. Chapter 3

AN: Again, thank you for all the kind words and follows to this story.

There are brief references to "Legacy" and "In the Line of Duty" - those belong to MGM and et al and no copyright infringement is intended.

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><p>The faint sound of wood sliding against wood broke Sam's awareness and drew her from her thoughts. Opening her eyes, she could see Jack move away the dresser toward the closet from the light coming in from the hallway. She knew he had been under the assumption she was sleeping but in reality, she had awakened when he had gotten out of bed earlier. She had waited for him to return. Even when he did not, she still could not bring herself to get up.<p>

Now that he was back and obviously had no intention of laying back down, she rolled over and turned on the lamp beside the bed. "Morning," she said softly when Jack started and looked over his shoulder.

"Sorry," he replied, turning to face her. "Was just getting stuff to get ready to head in. Didn't mean to wake you," he added, watching her sit up and slide back to lean against the wall.

Looking at him, a frown creased her features. "You didn't get much rest," she observed, guilt flashing over her face. "I should have..."

Jack cut her off. "Carter," he said, shaking his head. "I'm good. You were the one who needed sleep," Sitting on the side of the bed, he added, "Looks like you could use more too."

Shrugging, she neither agreed nor disagreed. She wasn't sure that more sleep was going to "fix" what she was feeling. Dropping her eyes, her attention was drawn to the bandage on her arm.

"How's it feeling?" Jack asked, reaching out to stop her from pulling on the adhesive. He knew the laceration under it had taken six stitches to close and the doctor had ordered her to keep it covered.

"Hurts," she said softly. "Hand smarts too," she added, frowning at the large bruise on the back of it. "How many times have we been through the Stargate?"

Surprise at her question flashed in Jack's eyes. "We, as in you and me, or the SGC in general?"

"Us," she murmured, her fingers still tracing the outline of the bandage.

Thinking, he slowly shook his head. "Hundreds, maybe a thousand times," he guessed. "Why?"

"Do you remember when they thought Daniel was becoming a schizophrenic from going through the gate?" His silent nod and sigh gave her the answer. "You said you didn't think the gate caused it, that it didn't change us."

"Yeah," Jack answered hesitantly. "You know as well as I do that that it was those slimy white things that caused that and not the gate."

Nodding in agreement with the cause of Daniel's change at that time, her words told him that Machello's device was not the real point of her bringing it up. "It does you know," Sam said solemnly finally looking up at him. "Change us."

Dropping his eyes to the various scrapes, cuts and scars on her body, Jack knew she was talking more than physically.

"It changes everything," she continued. "How we act, how we feel, how we see the world. What we are willing," she paused and winced, "capable of doing to another living being." Shaking her head, she looked past him to the window and early morning twilight beyond it. "Remember when we used to sit outside and stare up at the stars, picking out things that looked like our constellations and pondering what mysteries remained for us to find?" Bringing her eyes back to him, a shudder ran through her. "I don't see stars anymore, I see a potential battlefield, judging every movement as an indication of possible invasion." Her voice was low and anguished. "I see death. I want to see life again."

"Sam," Jack whispered, capturing her hand in his. Running his thumb over her hand lightly, he licked his lips. "It's been a bad year," he started cautiously. "And the last you thing you needed was to have a baby die in your arms yesterday."

"I don't know why I'm doing this anymore."

Flinching at her words, he looked away before meeting her eyes.

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><p>Tossing down the file on his desk, Jack eased himself down and let out a tired breath. The briefing had been brutal, even without Carter there to relay her portion of it. He was glad he had told her to stay home as he had dropped her off at her house and that she could file her report in a couple days.<p>

It would have to be soon though. The second call with Hammond had moved up that time line. Logging in and scanning his emails, he spotted the one he had been waiting to arrive. Opening it, he read it feeling both a sense of relief and dread pass through him. Replying, he told them he would send the signed papers shortly. Before he could do anything else, a knock on his door herald the arrival of Daniel.

"Jack?" Jackson said, asking for permission to enter. Seeing a slight movement of O'Neill's hand, he moved closer, followed by Teal'c. "Couldn't help but notice Sam wasn't in the briefing. She okay?"

Throwing the pair a standard 'my aren't you observant' sarcastic glare, Jack shuffled the folders. "She told me last night what happened after you came through the gate and everything else others could report. No sense in her coming in just for this," Jack reported, picking up a pen and some papers.

Daniel glanced at Teal'c before saying "Okay" slowly knowing Jack was avoiding the question. "But how is she?" he pressed.

Silence filled the room except for the scratching of the pen on paper as Jack signed various documents. Licking his lips, Daniel shuffled uneasily, getting the silent message being relayed.

"What did GeneralHammond say when you spoke with him?" Teal'c inquired, positive that O'Neill had already completed this task.

"Carter's going to Area 51. TDA for a while, then if she wants, permanently," Jack stated flatly, tapping his fingers on the orders below them to indicate it was official.

"On temporary duty assignment to do...,"

"Hell, I don't know, Daniel. Fly kites," Jack snarled, tossing down his pen. Gritting his teeth, he picked back up the writing instrument and continued knowing he was going to have to come up with a better story than that for others.

"What did it cost you?" Daniel asked flatly, seeing the pain and frustration hidden behind Jack's anger.

"Doesn't matter."

"On the contrary O'Neill, it matters greatly," Teal'c countered. "You stated last night that they would not let ColonelCarter leave easily. As that is now occurring, some price had to be paid. I wish to know what that price was."

Shifting uncomfortably under the intense scrutiny, Jack slumped back in his chair and let out a resigned sigh. "Five years," he admitted softly. "I agree not to retire for at least five years, Carter goes to Nevada and they cannot pull her back here unless it goes through me and she agrees to it."

Sitting down in the chair, Daniel tried to find some good in the situation. "So, if she's there, then she's not under your command. That's good, right?"

The stare from Jack made him flinch. "That was part of it too, wasn't it," he surmised. "She's still under SGC authority so you can do nothing to change your," Daniel paused looking for how to phrase it, "relationship," he settled on.

"Not as long as I'm at the SGC," O'Neill snarled, running his hands over his face and through his hair in agitation.

"Which could be five years," Jackson finished, stunned at the manipulation of two of his closest friends.

"They believe you will bring her back or she will return because you are here," Teal'c stated, trying to determine what would be gained by such a ruling.

Snorting, Jack shook his head slowly. He had not thought of that one. "Great, I'm the bait," he said sarcastically, banging his head against the back of the chair before resting it there and closing his eyes.

"Jack," Daniel began, only to be cut off.

"Absolutely not. Carter does not know a word about this deal," the General barked, pointing at the younger man. Softening his tone, he added, "Hell, I could get lucky and trip going down the stairs and go out on disability before five years. Or get gangrene from a paper cut."

"O'Neill," Teal'c chided, refusing to allow him to minimize the sacrifice he had just given.

"If you two want to do something, start planning now on how to convince Carter to stay at 51," Jack pressed. "If I'm suppose to be the reason she comes back, make sure that doesn't happen."

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><p>Ringing the doorbell to Carter's house, Jack tapped the folder in his hand and tried to hide his nervousness. This could go really well or really badly.<p>

"Hey," Sam greeted him, opening the door. Instinctively, she read the waves of tension running through him and knew this was not a social call. "Sir," she replied to his greeting of "Colonel." Straightening her posture and stepping back, she waited for the General to pass before leading them to the living room and gesturing for him to take a seat.

Waiting until he sat down, she eased herself on the front of a chair. "Sir, is there something wrong?"

Running his eyes over her features, he could see through the carefully constructed mask trying to hide the fatigue and helplessness. Any lingering doubt that he was doing the right thing evaporated. "You're being transferred," he announced, his tone indicting it was not up for discussion.

Surprise flashed through Sam's eyes. "Transferred?" She had spent the better part of the day coming to terms that leaving the SGC was not an option.

"51. Hammond says there are several projects behind schedule and they need to get done. You're being sent in to help," Jack explained reaching across and handing her the papers. "You report to Nellis in three days."

Flipping open the folder, she ran her eyes over the sheets indicating her temporary duty status.

"You retain your position, hazard pay and status at the SGC as long as you're there," O'Neill stated.

A frown creased Carter's forehead. "It doesn't say for how long," she observed.

"It's open, Colonel," the General stated, stealing his features. "If you want it to be permanent, that can happen."

Surprise again flashed over Sam's features. "Wow, sir," she breathed, not sure how she felt about that. "What about Daniel and Teal'c?"

"They'll be fine." Jack assured her, waiving off her concern. "They can go with other teams or take a break, do other things."

Licking her lips, she flashed a nervous look at him. "Sir, what about," she stopped, tipping her head at him.

"You'll still be technically under SGC authority as long as you're there," Jack stated harshly, still struggling with the concept himself.

Seeing her flinch, Jack sighed and ran his hand through his hair. "Carter, this morning, you said you needed a break, for things to change. You wanted good things in your life, hell to get a life outside of work." Swallowing hard, he looked down at his clenched hands before looking back up at her. "That's not me. I'm part of the darkness you need to get away from."

Sam couldn't stop the tears that jumped in her eyes at his words. Shaking her head, she thrust the folder back at him. "No, sir," she choked out.

Unsure what exactly she was saying, Jack tilted his head at her. "No?" he questioned, half curiosity, half challenging her apparent insubordination.

"I won't go, sir," Sam stated, shaking her head. "Request permission to stay at the SGC."

Standing up, Jack headed toward her door while throwing "Denied" over his shoulder. His hand was on the door knob, when a strangled "Jack" reached his ears.

Closing his eyes, he tried to stay strong. A sadness settled over him, remembering the last time she had been in a cage and begging for him not to leave her. "Haven't we already done this?" he said softly, turning back to her, a sad, bittersweet smile on his features.

Nodding, Sam choked out, "I died," remembering what happened next. Closing the distance between them, she whispered, "Please don't do this."

Running his eyes over her features, he tried to memorize each one in case this was the last time. Swallowing the lump in his throat that appeared at her anguish, he realized his hand was reaching to wipe away her tears. Stopping it, he looked away and stilled his features before he looked back. "It's the only way," he said softly. Not giving her time to say anything else, he opened the door and walked through it.

* * *

><p>AN2: Jack, Jack, Jack.. what HAVE you done?!<p> 


	4. Chapter 4

AN: I have been absolutely humbled with the response to this story. I know I owe several of you responses and I will be sending them. In the mean time, I present to you part 4. We are at the hard part - picking up the pieces. Hopefully this doesn't disappoint.

There are brief references to "48 Hours," "Divide and Conquer" and "Threads." Again no copyright infringement intended.

* * *

><p>"What the hell did you say to Sam?"<p>

Gritting his teeth at the words coming through his cell phone, Jack took a drink of beer before answering. "Hello Daniel," he said, his tone sharp and sarcastic.

"Jack," Daniel snarled back, derision dripping from his tone. "Janet just called me. She stopped by Sam's and says she's a mess. The only thing Janet can get from her is that it's over and that you're making her go to 51."

"You knew that," O'Neill retorted, flipping the cap off another bottle as he heard a half sigh, half growl come through the line at the words.

"Something else happened."

The accusation burned its way through the line into Jack's brain. "Nothing that concerns you," he snarled, anger lacing his words.

"To hell it," Daniel stopped himself and took a deep breath. "You can't let her leave like this," he snapped.

"And what do you expect me to do about it?" Jack snapped back, running his hand through his hair in frustration.

Angry breathing came through the line. "Don't let her think what she's thinking right now. Fix this Jack, before it's too late."

Staring at the now dead cell phone, Jack snapped it shut and tossed it on the table in front of him.

* * *

><p>Fumbling around in the dark to find the cell phone ringing beside his bed, O'Neill struggled to remember how to answer the new device. "What?" he finally growled into it when he heard a connection being made.<p>

"General O'Neill, what the sam-hell is going on back there?"

Instinctively snapping into a sitting position at the sound of his former commanding officer's angry bark, Jack tried to fight through the haze of too little sleep, headache and remaining alcohol in his system. "Sir?" he stuttered.

"Would you like to explain to me why I just received Lieutenant Colonel Samantha Carter's resignation papers?"

"Shit," Jack muttered, throwing off the covers.

"Excuse me?" Hammond growled in a warning.

"Sorry sir," Jack countered, fighting to keep the phone between his head and shoulder as he drug on his clothes. "Sir, can you, say loose those for a little while? Carter or I will call you."

"Jack," Hammond started, his tone serious. "The only reason the Joint Chiefs agreed to the arrangement is that it would keep both of you. If they find out Sam has resigned, they'll force her back and she will have no choice but to work exactly where they want her to be - at the SGC."

"Just," Jack paused, swallowing hard. "Just give me a chance to talk to her. I can fix this, sir," he assured the older man.

"You better or you just gave up five years of your life for nothing."

Hearing the call disconnect, Jack muttered "tell me about it" as he grabbed his keys and went out the door.

* * *

><p>Startling at the unexpected sound of the doorbell, Sam frowned as she looked at the clock. Putting down her coffee, she couldn't help but wonder who was at her door this early in the day. An uneasy feeling passed through her at the insistent ringing from the doorbell being repeatedly pushed. Opening the door slightly, she instinctively straightened and squared her shoulders at the sight of the man standing on her doorstep, anger and tension radiating from him.<p>

"General," she said flatly.

Indicating he was coming in, Jack raised an eyebrow when she failed to move. Getting a raised eyebrow back as her response, he clenched his jaw before pinning her with his eyes. "Carter, I'm hung over, running on three hours sleep, haven't had coffee, and am more than a little pissed right now. Do you really want to do this?" he challenged, his tone hard and unrelenting.

Understanding the implied threat in his words and eyes, Carter backed away from the entry. Waiting until he had entered and closed the door, she spun and marched to the kitchen. In a few minutes, she came into the room and slammed down a cup of coffee in front of him before sitting stiffly in a chair away from him. When he did not sit, she had to fight the instinct to get to her feet.

Watching her through slit eyes, Jack could tell she was not going to offer much without a push. "Hammond called me," he said without preamble. "Would you like to explain to me why the hell you're resigning and why I had to find out about it from someone else?" he barked, his words becoming louder and more heated as he went on.

"I have nothing to say," Sam said flatly, counting on her military background to allow her to mask the nervous energy coursing through her. Clasping her hands, she hoped it would hide the trembling that tried to give her away. "I don't have to explain myself to you anymore."

"The hell you don't," Jack snarled, taking a step toward her without realizing it until she jumped up and put the chair between them.

Glaring at her, he saw the dark circles under her eyes that told of too little sleep and too much stress. Looking closer, he saw anger, pain, uncertainty, and a little fear reflected in her features. Taking a deep breath, Jack ran his hand through his hair to get a grip on his own emotions. Forcing his shoulders to drop, he looked back at her. "Can't we at least talk about it?" he asked in a softer tone, gesturing for them to sit down.

Waiting until she had hesitantly eased herself back to the chair, he began to speak again. "Just tell me why," he urged. "Please?" he added, when she didn't appear to be willing to say anything after his first inquiry.

After a few minutes, Sam spoke. What she said however, took him by surprise. "What is this?" she asked. Seeing a tilt of his head in confusion, she altered her question. "What are we?"

Seeing him wince at her question, she continued. "Cause I thought I knew. I thought we had it figured out. I finally realized that I didn't want a life without you in it, and I thought you wanted the same thing. But in the last forty eight hours," she paused, shaking her head. "Now, I don't know cause the mission happened, and I fell apart and you were there for me, but now you want to send me away," the words tumbling out stopped when Jack jerked out of the chair and turned from her.

"Carter." Jack muttered, moving to stand with his back to Sam, tension radiating from his body as her words echoed in his mind. He could feel her eyes piercing into his back. "Damn it," he breathed, realizing she really didn't understand he was trying to save her. "I don't want to send you away," he gritted out between clenched teeth, before giving into the sudden waive of fatigue passing through him. Turning back towards her, he added flatly, "I don't have a choice."

"Bullshit," Carter snapped, anger overriding nerves at his resigned attitude and the words that seemed so similar to the ones that had haunted her throughout the night.

Jack moved back to the couch to interrupt what she was going to say next. "Sam," he urged. "Just listen. You're exhausted, physically and mentally. You're grieving for Dad and now that baby. This morning you said you didn't know why you were doing this anymore. Any one of them can cause you to hesitate too long or make a decision that could get you or someone else killed." Jack paused as a shudder passed through him from thinking how close that scenario had come two days ago. "I won't let that happen," he added, his dark brown eyes reflecting the seriousness of his words. "And the only way to make sure you're not going through that gate is if you're not at the SGC."

"I can retire, be a civilian consultant," she pushed back.

"Think of Daniel, Lee, hell, any of the other scientists or consultants working there," Jack countered, shaking his head. "You think all of them volunteered for missions? It's like you told McKay once, as long as you're on the Air Force payroll," he trailed off not needing to finish the statement. Pinning her with his gaze, he continued. "If you try to retire, they'll force you back in the name of national security. If they do that, they'll be nothing between you and them; nothing to stop them from ordering you to do exactly what they want you to do."

Sam paled at his words. Swallowing, she shifted uncomfortably. "What makes you think they won't just transfer me back?"

"Won't happen," Jack assured, stealing his features from giving away anything he didn't want.

The careful way he had removed any emotion from his face told her far more than he realized. "What did you do?" The whispered words hissed from her lips as she stared him down.

Not answering her question, Jack pulled his cellphone from his pocket and placed it on the table between them. "Hammond is waiting to hear from one of us. It's your decision, your call," he said softly.

Watching him with somber eyes, Sam thought about his words. "Transfer away from the SGC, resign and become a pawn of the whoever wants me, or stay and get myself killed," she breathed, closing her eyes at the scenarios, shaking her head at the mess before her. "That's what you think my options are?" she asked looking at him. A slight nod of his head caused her to close her eyes again in pain. A moment later, she opened them again. "What if I stayed and tried..."

"I won't risk it," Jack breathed, knowing she was going to try to convince him she could stay and get better. Brown eyes burrowed into blue in a battle of wills.

Neither moved.

"You didn't answer my question," she observed quietly. "What are we?"

Softening his gaze, Jack ran his eyes over her features before locking his eyes with hers again. "I'm still a commanding officer who feels way more than he's suppose to for a subordinate and I'll always be there for you, no matter what," he stated gently, answering her without actually answering the question. "Nothing is going to change either of those."

Tears flashed in her eyes at Jack's confirmation. Lowering her head to hide them, she nodded to indicate she understood what he was trying to say and what she needed to do next. Picking up the phone, she dialed Hammond's office. Waiting for it to connect, she looked back up at him.

"You'll come visit?"

A smile tugged on Jack's lips as he nodded. He was stopped from saying anything by Sam greeting Hammond. Reaching down for the cup of coffee on the table, he took a drink of the now tepid liquid. Heading into the kitchen, he added more coffee to warm it and filled Sam's cup. Carrying them back into the living room, he handed it to her.

"Yes sir," Sam said into the phone, accepting the mug. "I'm sure. I'll report in three days as ordered."

Listening, she moved to take a drink only to freeze, her eyes cutting up toward Jack. "Er... yes, sir," she said haltingly. "I'll tell him. Thank you, sir," she added, slowing folding the phone to disconnect the call, her eyes not leaving him.

From her look, Jack realized that Hammond had said something to tell her what he had done. Trying to deflect it, he motioned with his cup.. "Careful, I warmed it," he said sitting down.

Sam put the phone on the table. "General Hammond said to tell you that you did the right thing and that it won't be that long." Looking up, she watched his reaction when she said, "You delayed your retirement for me didn't you? That's why they're letting me transfer."

Jack's uncomfortable half shrug and lifted corner of his mouth confirmed it for her. "It's not like I jumped in front of a staff blast," he jested trying to deflect the seriousness of his action.

"Jack," Sam breathed, looking away as tears flashed again in her eyes, realizing the sacrifice he had made for her.

"Hey," Jack called softly to draw her eyes back to him. "My decision, my call."

"But," Sam objected, only to stop when he shook his head.

"It doesn't matter, Sam. The minute you aren't under my direct command, I'll be at your door," he added softly. "It's just going to take a little longer, that's all."

Swallowing, she nodded at the promise of a future just made. "And in the meantime?" she asked huskily.

A sigh passed through Jack. "In the meantime, we do our jobs."

Realizing she was moving, Jack sat back as she sank to the couch beside him. Lifting his arm. he wrapped it around her as she leaned into him, laying her head in the crook of his neck.

* * *

><p>AN2: I honestly don't know if my muse will take this further. But, we shall see. In the meantime, enjoy.<p> 


	5. Chapter 5

AN: Well, good news is that my muse isn't quite done playing with this story. The bad news is the angst continues.

* * *

><p>Sam smiled sadly at Jack before sitting up away from him. "It's all changing," she breathed. Feeling Jack's unspoken question, she clarified. "Work, life, family," glancing around and resting her arms on her thighs, she added, "my home."<p>

"Doesn't mean it's all a bad thing," Jack said, laying a hand on her back. "Okay, some of it sucks. Packing, claiming a new parking spot, finding a decent pizza joint that delivers," he added trailing off, trying to make her smile.

Her lowered head shaking at him let him know he had somewhat succeeded.

Looking around she shook her head again. "What do I do with all of this? Keep the house for awhile? Lease it out? Hire somebody to pack and move it? I mean there's no way I can do it before I leave."

"We've got it Carter," O'Neill interjected softly. "Pack what you need to take with you or that you'll need fairly soon. What you can't carry, we'll bring when you find a place. We'll have to bring your car and bike out anyway. The big stuff, we'll hire somebody to haul if you decide to make it permanent. We'll keep on eye on the place until then."

Brimming blue eyes peered back at him in appreciation. "Everything just feels so overwhelming right now," she said huskily.

Rubbing her back, Jack swallowed. "What about finding a place big enough for Cassie to move in with you? She doesn't like the dorms. Could be good for both of you."

"Maybe."

After a few minutes, she asked quietly, "What will happen to Bree'dan's body?"

Jack flinched at her question. "After an autopsy, he'll be cremated," he finally admitted.

"And buried?" Sam asked.

Thinking, Jack shook his head. "I'll have to find out. Why?" he nudged.

"I'd like to be there," she said, looking back at him.

* * *

><p>"Doc," O'Neill called, rapping his knuckles on her door. "Got a minute?"<p>

"General," Doctor Janet Fraiser replied coolly, watching him as he entered. "Come to send me away also?" she quipped, her chin raised defiantly.

Stopping in mid stride at the words, Jack's face hardened. "Carter has her orders and you have yours," he said sharply. Forcing himself to tone it down, he continued. "Anything else you think you know is, well," Jack trailed off leaving the rest unsaid.

"What I know is that Sam thinks she's being punished."

"Thought," Jack clarified. At Janet's raised eyebrow, he clarified. "Thought she was being punished. We talked."

Short of telling him outright she doubted him, she decided she would try another tack. "Something I can do for you, sir?"

"Yeah, uh, what happened to that baby's body?"

"Autopsy to determine any variations in physiology and then cremation," Janet replied knowing the General knew this already.

"And the ashes?"

Janet paused. "I honestly don't know. Why?"

"Carter wants to have a funeral for him," he sighed, rubbing the back of his neck. "Not sure it's best, but that's what she wants."

"It could be good for her," Fraiser countered softly. "Bring her closure."

"Yeah well, been there, done that. Still have the nightmares," Jack countered back sarcastically, fingering the papers on her desk. Blowing out a breath, he looked back at the doctor. "Can you find out?"

"I can make some calls," Janet assured him. Seeing him nod and start to leave she called to him. "Sir?" Waiting until he turned back towards her, she licked her lips nervously. "Is it really necessary for Colonel Carter to be transferred? So much has happened to her lately and this move, it could be too much."

Reading her nervousness, Jack knew she was not trying to challenge his authority. This was a woman simply trying to understand and look out for a friend. Moving out of the way, he closed the office door.

Pursing his lips for a minute, he tried to find a way to explain without saying too much. "Let me ask you this. Would you leave a person in a house with a gas leak?"

Horror crossed Janet's face. "Absolutely not." Her eyes widened farther. "You're not saying Sam is," she couldn't even connect the concept that she assigned from his words with her friend.

"No, I'm not saying she's suicidal," Jack countered, holding up his hands to stop her. "I am saying that Carter's head is in a bad place and the best thing for her is to NOT be here."

Watching the shock flit across the doctor's features, he knew he had gotten his point across. "If you want to do something to help, find out about that baby and then Sam could use some help packing. I'm sure you could get the CO to let you off a couple hours early barring any crisis." He vaguely heard the "yes, sir" follow him out.

* * *

><p>"O'Neill," Jack answered, silently cursing once again whoever it was that had developed the telephone.<p>

"Sir," Janet replied. "I spoke with Doctor Chapman. Bree'dan's funeral is scheduled for tomorrow here in Colorado Springs."

Wincing, Jack bit back the curse. He had hoped there would not be a funeral or that it wouldn't be anytime soon. "That's fast," he murmured. "What's the cover story?" Jack asked flatly, knowing full well there would be one. It wasn't like it could be advertised the child was not from Earth.

Silence met his question. He could hear Janet take a calming breath. "Abandoned baby," she said softly.

Jack closed his eyes. No way was Sam finding out about that. "Email me the details," he said quietly. He was about to hang up when he stopped. "Janet," he called to make sure she was there.

"Sir?"

"Don't say anything to Carter. I'll tell her."

A choked "thank you" preceded the dial tone in his ear.

* * *

><p>Stepping out of his truck, Jack felt the wind brush across his taunt features. He hated this place. Looking across the rows of headstones and vases, he squeezed his eyes closed and tried to stop the wave of memories that threatened him. He had been in cemeteries burying others way too many times in his life as far as he was concerned.<p>

Forcing himself to move, he headed around the truck to stand at Sam's side. Watching the clench of her jaw as she stared at the man holding a small urn ahead of her, he brushed his hand on her arm. "You don't have to do this," he said softly.

Nodding to let him know she had heard, she stumbled forward. Stopping near the unknown man, she locked eyes with the minister holding the vase and nodded. Dropping her gaze to the object in his hand, she was aware he had begun to speak.

She heard the cadence of his gentle tone but the words were incomprehensible to her. Her mind was not on earth. It was on another planet, focused on a pile of rubble and on a precious bundle being thrust at her. It was buried in pleas to take care of him; on anguished cries and gurgled breaths. Then on the overwhelming sound of silence amid the chaos and the realization that the little boy she held was no longer moving or breathing.

Seconds. Minutes. Life. Death.

Jack's hand on her back drew her mind to earth and the realization that tears were running down her face. Reaching up to brush them off, she heard the minister whisper a soft "Amen."

Blinking, Sam watched as the urn was placed in the ground and suddenly the man was speaking to her. Vaguely she nodded, unsure of what he had said.

"First responder," she heard Jack answer. Some part of Sam's mind knew he was creating a plausible scenario to explain why they were at the funeral. A few more words of the conversation washed over her and then she felt Jack move to hold out his hand.

"Thank you," Jack stated, shaking hands with the minister as the man took his leave. Turning his eyes back to Sam, he waited. After a few minutes, she drew in a shaky breath.

"It all goes by so fast."

Her pained, hushed words brushed across Jack's ears like the wind. Swallowing, he slid his arm around her and drew her closer. "If we let it."

* * *

><p>AN2: This one, while short, left my heart aching. There will be probably two more chapters on this story. Thanks for sticking with it.<p> 


	6. Chapter 6

Setting the laptop on top of her clothes, Sam pulled the drawstring on her duffle bag before securing the closures. Straightening, she glanced around the room to make sure she had not forgotten anything before lifting it up and leaving her bedroom. Stepping around the boxes by the doorway, she smiled sadly at the men watching her.

Reaching for the duffle, Daniel forced a small smile to his face. "Ready?"

She glanced around the room. So many years spent in one place, so many memories. So many years with one team. With one man. And now she was walking away from all of it.

"Sam?"

Jerking her gaze back, she tried to hold back the tears and nodded. "It's hard," she choked.

"You must be strong, SamanthaCarter," Teal'c murmured behind her, drawing her gaze. "I believe this is for the best as you will come to realize as well."

"I am going to have to trust you on that Teal'c because right now," Sam choked out, shaking her head and drawing in a steadying breath.

"Come on," Daniel said, brushing her arm. "If you want to stop by Jack's on the way to the base, we need to move."

* * *

><p>"Can you wait here?" Sam asked hesitantly looking at Teal'c and Daniel standing outside of the car. Seeing their agreement and understanding gazes, she squared her shoulders and headed up the sidewalk to Jack's front door.<p>

She had barely released the doorbell before the door opened. Silently, he stepped out of the way to allow her entrance. Looking toward the street, he nodded toward the others in gratitude.

He hated not being able to see her off at the plane, but it would have caused too many raised eyebrows, speculations and rumors. Closing the door, he turned towards Sam. "Didn't think I'd see you today," he said, reading the emotions and tension in her features and body.

"I know," Sam replied, looking down. "I realized I didn't say something last night."

He had refused to hear the word or tell her goodbye when he had left the previous evening. He had held her, brushed a kiss to her head and simple said 'see ya later' when he had left her house. He really didn't know if he could stand to hear that word today. "Sam," Jack interjected trying to forestall her from saying it.

"Thank you."

Stunned, it took a moment before a soft smile crossed his face as he cocked his head at her, silently asking for clarification.

"Saving me, even when I don't know I need it," she breathed huskily, eyes bright with tears. "I don't know what I'm going to do without you."

Reaching out to catch the tear trailing down her cheek, Jack shook his head slightly. "Never happen, Carter."

Leaning into his touch, Sam closed her eyes. "I need you to do something for me," she whispered.

"What?"

Opening her eyes, she looked deeply into the brown eyes watching her. "Don't let me allow it all to go by so fast."

The message slammed into him. Drawing a slow breath to calm himself, he swallowed. "Pretty tall order there," he said his voice gravely with emotion. Licking his lips, he continued. "I'll figure it out, Sam. I swear."

Sam nodded knowing he meant some way for them to be together.

"Can you hold on?" he breathed desperately.

Sam nodded again, not trusting her voice.

Dropping his hand to her arm, he pulled her to him when she stepped closer. Wrapping around her, Jack felt the tremors in her stop. Blinking back the wetness in his own eyes, he knew it was time. Brushing his lips across her brow, he stepped back. "You better go," he said huskily. "You'll miss your plane."

Knowing he was correct, Sam allowed her lips to linger on his cheek for a few extra moments before releasing him and opening the door. Glancing back one last time, she forced a small smile to her face. "See ya later," she said, stepping through it.

* * *

><p>Knocking on the door to Jack's office, Daniel cautiously entered when he saw that Jack was doing paperwork. Getting a vague acknowledgement, he eased himself into a chair and waited.<p>

Watching his friend, he could tell that Jack was purposely avoiding him and whatever he was reading did not really require the amount of attention it was receiving. Daniel had seen him do it too many times to be fooled.

Waiting five minutes, he finally pursed his lips and spoke. "You okay?"

Glancing up at Daniel, Jack asked, "Sam make it to the plane on time?"

"Yeah, pretty much. Pilot was getting antsy when we were saying goodbye but Sam basically ordered the Captain to back off," Daniel reported. "Said he could make up the five minutes in the air if he knew what he was doing."

Snorting, Jack was amused. Glancing at his watch, he calculated the time she would be on the ground as he switched folders.

"What going to happen now?" Daniel asked quietly. Receiving a questioning look, he added, "For Teal'c and me."

"Wouldn't surprise me if Teal'c's goes to Dakara," Jack stated. "I can't really make him stay here." Jack trailed off, grimacing.

Measuring his breaths, Daniel nodded. "You know with the Deadelus being able to go to Atlantis..."

"No." Jack's harsh bark cut him off.

"Jack, think of what might be there," Daniel pushed. "What we, what I, may be able to learn about the Ancients."

"Daniel," Jack growled back. "I said no."

"Why not?" Daniel challenged.

"Because I can't take...," Jack cut himself off, jerking his eyes away from his friend.

Watching, Daniel saw the clenching of Jack's jaw and the emotions flicker across his features. When he turned back to face him, all of Jack's defenses were down and pain showed in his eyes and echoed in his voice when he spoke.

"I need you here right now."

* * *

><p>Running a hand through her hair, Sam blew out a breath. "Some know what they are doing. Others, not so much," she sighed into the phone.<p>

"Only took you three days to figure out why Hammond wanted you there?" Jack chuckled through the line.

"Quick study, I know," she retorted back, no heat in her tone. Sighing, she frowned. "There could be some long days ahead to get it done in the timeframe he wants."

An exasperated sigh met her words. "Ever heard of something called delegation?" he asked dryly. "Seriously, if they're not doing their jobs, give 'em the boot and get someone in there who can."

"You realize I'm not the boss, right?" she reminded him. A knock on her door drew her attention. "Hang on," she told Jack, laying the phone down.

Opening the door to her temporary base quarters, Sam was stunned to see Cassandra Fraiser on the other side of the door.

"Surprise!" Cassie squealed, moving to hug Sam.

"Cassie!" Sam said, enveloping the young woman. "What? How?" she stuttered, barely registering the airman saluting her before leaving.

"Family in high places in the military who say you can come on the base," Cassie teased, trailing off as the rest was evident. "Had to make sure you don't work ALL the time you're here," she said, the lightness of her words belied by the seriousness of her eyes.

"Jack," Sam breathed, a gentle smile splitting her face momentarily before she remembered she had been talking with him. Spinning she moved quickly and snatched up the phone.

"Still saving me?" she asked softly.

"Don't let it all pass you by, Carter."

The warmth of his reminder tingled through her. Blinking back the wetness in her eyes, she nodded. "Got it," she choked out.

"I'll talk to you in a couple days. Give Cass a hug for me," he nudged gently.

* * *

><p>AN: One more chapter to come. Thanks for coming on this journey with me.<p> 


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